Broome County Civil War Monument, Binghamton, NY

I can remember seeing this monument, in front of the courthouse downtown, frequently, when I was growing up. I would well imagine that it helped make me a Civil War Nut (and reenactor)!

James M. Warner

Recently I became a member of the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW). James M. Warner, my great great grandfather, had served in the war and I joined the SUVCW through him. I've found some interesting stuff about the guy, mostly from his CW pension applications. I'll post some of that at a later date...

My cousin, Scott Payne (also a Civil War reenactor and genealogy buff) took these pictures (which I've sort of stolen from him from the "find a grave" website).

If you want to find my grave, I will be (hopefully no time soon) be buried immediately behind him - Jim Warner, not Cousin Scott).

"Oh, Lord, this is the Jackson event - I beseech Thee... no rain this year, 'kay?"

Maybe I should have prayed for cooler weather along with the request for drier weather. Historically, it always rains at the Jackson (MI) Civil War Muster - one of the biggest of the year in this part of the Mid-West. "If it's raining, it must be Jackson!"

It was dry for the most part (it rained a bit during the nighttime). But Saturday had to have been the hottest day of the year (and humid like you wouldn't believe)!

A True Son of a Union Veteran of the Civil War

A goodly number of Civil War reenactors are genealogy nuts as well... and of them quite a few are members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)... by proof of lineage. In fact I am proudly joining the Austin Blair Camp (No. 7) of Jackson, MI in a little more than a week, at the Jackson Civil War Muster - through my great great grandfather, James M. Warner (a private and articifer in the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery, Co. A).

After the War, Union Veterans formed the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) - and was the literal forebearers of the SUVCW.

Here however, is a picture of a true son of a Union Civil War veteran. Taken recently at a Civil War reenactment at Charlton Park in Hastings, MI. The fellow on the right, a reenactor and good guy, Keith Harrison, only looks like he should himself be a veteran of the War.

But the father of the gentleman on the right (and I need to find his name - mea culpa) actually fought in the Civil War. Quite a few years later, he, late in life, fathered this sharp and remarkable gentleman. He recalls as a small boy sitting on his father's lap on the porch hearing firsthand stories about the War. There are few true sons of a Union Veterans. I believe the Austin Blair Camp had one who passed away a few years ago. And the number grows smaller every day.

Interestingly, there are yet a number surviving - living - widows of Civil War veterans!

The last Civil War veteran, Albert Woolson, died in 1956 at the ripe old age of 109 years!

Senator Howard

Fellow living historian, Dave Tennies, portrays Civil War era US Senator Jacob ("Honest Jake") Howard of Michigan. Howard is credited with working closely with Abraham Lincoln in drafting and passing the US Constitution's Thirteenth Amendment which abolished slavery.

Dave does a wonderful presentation of Senator Howard. His love of Civil War (indeed American) history is well evident, as is his deep study of the good Senator.

Note that no politician today are called "Honest"... hmmmm...

Dueling Cousins

I really, really like this picture of cousin Scott Payne and I hamming it up for the camera.

And even more so sepia-toned.

A quick story about another cousin, Glenn Payne, that has no place in this post... but it really deserves being told.

He went to the drug store recently and told the pharmacist that he was there to get a prescription for Payne.

The pharmacist said, "Alright. Name?"

Glenn reminded him it was for Payne.

"I realize that... but who is it for?"

"Payne!"

They went back and forth a bit more before both Glenn and the pharmacist realized they were doing a modern variation of "Who's on first".

A '57 MG in a '59 MG

During the aforementioned trip to Upstate New York, one thing I really wanted to do... photographically, that is... was to get a picture of me in my Uncle Neil Payne's classic MG-A.

It is two years younger than I am... but it runs better and the body is in better shape.

When his brother, my Uncle Warner, died almost ten years ago, he was in the middle of restoring it. Both he and Warner have had several MGs over the years... and so Uncle Neil happily and deftly picked up where Warner had left off.

The bottom photograph... is of me in the spring of 1960 with another MG-A (Uncle Warner's). I am still a 1957 model. But can only guess (and would likely be wrong) what year this MG is. But as I recall, it was blue as well.

Scott Payne, my Rebel cousin from earlier blogs, is Warner's youngest son.

It was Neil's son - and my cousin - Glenn, took me for a wonderful ride in it on the winding roads and rolling hills of rural Broome County. It took little or no arm twisting.